The North Carolina town of Lake Lure will reopen its scenic lake in spring 2026, town leaders say, after being one of Helene’s hardest hit areas.
Lake Lure is set to open to the public for recreation by late spring of 2026, the Town of Lake Lure announced Sept. 9, nearly a year after Tropical Storm Helene flooded the lake with debris, and severely damaging homes, businesses and infrastructure around it.
“Reopening Lake Lure will be more than a return to normal—it will be a symbol of resilience, unity, and the incredible power of partnership,” Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett said in a news release. “This achievement will help drive the full recovery of Lake Lure and the greater Hickory Nut Gorge region.”
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The Town of Lake Lure began working with FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers to restore the lake in October, soon after the storm, the release said.
Helene struck North Carolina in late September 2024, killing more than 100 people and causing nearly $60 billion in damage to homes, businesses, roads and other infrastructure.
The Army Corps aims to complete restoration work on the lake’s basin and shoreline by Oct. 31, according to the release.
After that milestone, the town can move towards refilling the lake.
Now, the water is around 22 feet below its “full pond” level of 990.5 feet above sea level.
By Mar. 1, the town plans to refill it to a height of 978.5 feet above sea level, 12 feet shy of full, allowing regional and collegiate rowing teams to practice there for their spring seasons.
By May 1, the lake should be full and open to the public, according to the release.
“The Town of Lake Lure is forever grateful to FEMA, the USACE, AshBritt, and the many local contractors and crew members who made this progress possible,” Pritchett said in the release. “We could never have addressed the scale of destruction from Hurricane Helene without their remarkable support, expertise, and compassion.”
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The town is also working to restore public lands, facilities and buildings, including rebuilding, replacing or renovating Morse Park, the docks, marina building and marine gas pumps at the Washburn Marina and the Lake Lure Beach Building.
Town Hall and the Lake Lure Police Department have been operating out of a temporary space on Buffalo Creek Road until the town decides on where to relocate to permanently.
The town plans to demolish the Welcome Center, pending a FEMA determination, and the Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority will handle plans for a new one.
George Fabe Russell is the Henderson County Reporter for the Hendersonville Times-News. Tips, questions, comments? Email him at GFRussell@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Town of Lake Lure plans to reopen lake by late spring
Reporting by George Fabe Russell, Hendersonville Times-News / Hendersonville Times-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
